Floodlight having t-shaped hinge connection

ABSTRACT

Floodlight has an optical housing hingedly attached to a separate ballast housing having a built-in slipfitter for mounting on a post top. The hinge connection includes a T-shaped support arm having a transverse tubular portion rotatable in a corresponding recess on the ballast housing. An adjustable clamp holds the tubular hinge portion in selected adjusted position for maintaining the optical housing at the desired angle relative to the supporting post.

United States Patent [191 Osteen [451 Aug. 21, 1973 FLOODLIGHT HAVING T-SHAPED HINGE CONNECTION [75] Inventor: Mitchell M. Osteen, Zirconia, NC.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 247,957

[52] U.S. Cl. 240/73 R, 240/52 R, 240/52.1, 240/81 BA [51] Int. Cl F21s 5/00 [58] Field of Search 240/52, 52.1, 73 BA, 240/73 El, 73 OD, 73 DA, 73 R, 81 BA; 248/122 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1958 Harling 240/67 3,264,465 8/1966 Rex 240/84 X 263,827 9/1882 Weston 240/73 BJ FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,510,743 12/1967 France 240/73 R 5/1943 France 240/73 R 4/1954 France 240/73 BJ Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-E. M. 'Bero Attorney-Sidney Greenberg et al.

57 ABSTRACT 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Aug. 21, 1973 I 3,754,136

3 sheets Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet I FLOODLIGHT HAVING T-SHAPED HINGE CONNECTION The present invention relates to lighting fixtures and particularly to a floodlight or luminaire suitable for area lighting and other lighting applications.

It is an object of the invention to provide a floodlight of the above type utilizing a gaseous discharge lamp arranged in an optical housing separably connected to a combined ballast housing and fixture support.

It is another object of the invention to provide a floodlight of the above type wherein the optical housing has a support arm adjustably hingedly connected to the combined ballast housing and fixture support whereby the optical housing may be positioned at a desired angle relative to its support.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a floodlight of the above type wherein the optical housing may be readily hingedly attached to the fixture support with a minimum of hazard to the installer.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

With the above objects in view, the present invention relates to a lighting fixture comprising, in combination, an optical housing adapted to contain a lamp, mounting means adjacent the housing for mounting the same on a support, connecting means hingedly connecting the optical housing to the mounting means for angular adjustment of the optical housing relative to the mounting means, the connecting means comprising an arm member secured at one end to the optical housing and having a T-shaped portion at its other end comprising a shank portion and a transverse hinge portion, the mounting means adjacent the arm member having wall portions defining a T-shaped recess for receiving the T-shaped arm portion, and adjustable means on the mounting means engageable with the arm member for holding the arm member and thereby the optical housing at an adjusted angular position relative to the mounting means.

The invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and la are respectively side elevational and perspective views of a floodlight embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the support arm for the optical housing of the FIG. 1 floodlight;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge connection between the optical and ballast housing of the floodlight, with the optical housing in its lowermost position;

FIG. 4 is a view of the hinge connection shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line 4 4;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the optical housing in a raised position; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the ballast housing showing the recess therein forreceiving the optical housing support arm.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and la, there is shown a decorative area lighting floodlight or luminaire l embodying the present invention and comprising a box-shaped optical housing 2 containing a reflector 3 and lamp 4, which is typically of mercury vapor or other high intensity gaseous discharge type, and being closed at its bottom by a transparent closure 5 suitably detachably connected by means (not shown) at the bottom of optical housing 2. The latter housing is hingedly connected near the top of its side wall 2a to a combined ballast housing and fixture support 6 by means of optical support arm 7, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 5.

Combined ballast housing and fixture support 6 (also referred to herein for brevity simply as the ballast h'ousing) serves to mount the floodlight on hollow supporting post 8 by means of a built-in slipfitter 20 (see FIG. 6) and has a hingedly connected access door 10 on which electrical ballast components for operating lamp 4 are mounted. The structure, assembly and functions of ballast housing 6 and its contents are more fully disclosed in the co-pending application of Osteen et al. Ser. No. 247,958, filed Apr. 27, 1972, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the hinge connection between optical housing 2 and ballast housing 6 which includes support arm 7 is constructed and arranged to enable the installer to safely assemble the optical housing 2 on ballast housing 6 with the latter in place on support post 8, to provide for ready adjustment of optical housing 2 relative to ballast housing 6 for aiming the floodlight at a desired angle and for locking it in the adjusted position, and to provide for passage of electrical leads through the hinge connection without unduly limiting the range of angular adjustment of the optical housing. This structure also is such as to provide for a concealed hinge arrangement which enhances the decorative appearance of the floodlight as a whole.

Optical housing support arm 7, as seen in FIG. 2, comprises a base plate 7a and a T-shaped arm projecting upwardly at an angle from plate 7a formed of hollow shank 7b and hollow cylindrical hinge pin 7c at the outer end of shank 7b extending transversely thereof. At one end, pin 7c is formed with a hub 7g of reduced diameter. Base plate 7a has a central aperture 7d communicating with the hollow interior of shank 7b (see FIG. 3) and with aperture 2b in side wall 2a of optical housing 2, and is formed with holes 7e at its corners for securing support arm 7 to side wall 2a by means of screws 14 or the like.

As seen in FIG. 6, the upper comer of ballast housing 6 adjacent optical housing 2 is formed with a generally T-shaped recess 30 for receiving the T-shaped portion of arm member 7, including a cradle formed by concave seats 31, 32 in which transverse hinge pin 7c is rotatably supported and which preferably are serrated as shown. The wall portion of ballast housing 6 adjacent seat 31 has an aperture 33 which in the assembly is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of pin 7c and in which hub 7g of pin rotatably interfits (see FIG. 4). Adjustable clamp 34, detachably secured to ballast housing 6 by means of bolt 35 threaded into seat 32, fits over and releasably holds hinge pin 70 in the adjusted angular position in recess 30.-The arrangement is such that in assembling optical housing 2 on ballast housing 6, hinge pin 70 is first arranged on seats 31, 32 in recess 30 with its hub 7g inserted into aperture 33, and optical housing 2 is then lowered so that shank 7b of arm member 7 lies within the complementary recess in ballast housing 6. In this lowered position, shank 7b of arm 7 is held against substantial lateral movement by the adjacent wall portions of ballast housing 6, and as a result hinge pin 70 cannot be moved longitudinally to remove its hub 7g from aperture 33. Accordingly, hinge pin 7c rests securely in cradle seats 31,32 and optical housing 2 cannot be separated from ballast housing 6 even in the absence of clamp 34 unless optical housing 2 is raised through a sufficient angle to permit the shank of arm 7 to clear the walls of the recess. With the optical housing 2 in the described lower position, clamp 34 is then attached and tightened by means of bolt 35 against hinge pin 7c to retain the parts in assembly. The adjacent surfaces of clamp 34 and hinge pin 7c are preferably serrated as shown to provide increased frictional engagement. Bolt 35, whether loose or tightened, serves to retain hub 73 in aperture 33 regardless of the angular position of arm 7, since the space between bolt 35 and the adjacent end of hinge pin 70 is less than the axial length of hub 73, as seen in FIG. 4.

A stop screw 36 threaded into a boss 37 on the recess wall of ballast housing 6 and engagable with the surface of shank 7b serves to hold arm member 7 at the desired angular position to which optical housing 2 is raised. To adjust optical housing 2 relative to ballast housing 6 for directing the light beam at the desired angle, clamp 34 is first loosened, optical housing 2 is moved to the desired angular position, e.g., as in FIG. 5, stop screw 36 is moved into abutment with arm member 7, and clamp 34 is then retightened.

Boss 37 through which stop screw 36 passes serves to prevent drip water from entering ballast housing 6 through the screw hole. To enable arm member 7 to lie flat against the bottom of recess 30, a shank 7b is is formed with an indented portion 7h in which boss 37 is received when arm member 7 is in its lowermost position as shown in FIG. 3 7

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments'thereof, it will be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A lighting fixture comprising, in combination, an optical housing adapted to contain lamp means, mounting means adjacent said housing for mounting the same on a support, connecting means hingedly connecting said optical housing to said mounting means for angular adjustment of said optical housing relative to said mounting means, said connecting means comprising an arm member secured at one end to said optical housing and having a T-shaped portion at its other end comprising a shank portion and a transverse hinge portion, said mounting means adjacent said arm member having wall portions defining a T-shaped recess for receiving said T-shaped arm-portion, and adjustable means on said mounting means engageable with said arm member for holding said arm member and thereby said optical housing at an adjusted angular position relative to said mounting means, said mounting means being formed in said recess with cradle means for receiving said transverse hinge portion, one of said wall portions of said mounting means having an aperture co-axial with the longitudinal axis of said transverse hinge portion, said transverse hinge portion having a hub at one end rotatably received in said aperture, said shank portion of said arm member being restrained against substantial lateral movement by a pair of said wall portions on opposite sides thereof when lying in said recess, whereby said transverse hinge portion is held in said cradle means with said hub engaging said apertured wall portion until said arm member is rotated sufficiently for said shank portion to clear said restraining pair of wall portions.

2. A fixture as defined in claim 1, said arm member having an internal passage opening at opposite ends into said optical housing and said mounting means respectively for receiving electrical conductors extending therethrough.

3. fixture'as defined in claim 2, saidadjustable means comprising a clamp releasably engaging said transverse hinge portion. j

4. A fixture as defined in claim 3, said adjustable means further including adjustable bolt means extending into said recess in engagement with said shank portion.

5. A fixture as defined in claim I, said mounting means comprising an enclosure having a top wall and side walls, said T-shaped recess therein being located at the junction of said top wall and the side wall thereof adjacent said optical housing.

6. A fixture as defined in claim 5, said optical housing comprising aside wall adjacent said mounting means, said arm member secured to said optical housing side wall adjacent the top thereof, said shank portion extending upwardly at an angle relative to the latter side wall. 7

7. A fixture as defined in claim I, said cradle means comprising spaced concave seats formed in said recess wall portions, said transverse hinge portion being substantially cylindrical and resting on said spaced concave seats in rotatable engagement therewith.

8. A fixture as defined in claim I, said adjustable holding means comprising a clamp engaging said transverse hinge portion at the opposite end thereof and having securing means adjustably engaging said mounting means at a point spaced from said opposite end of said transverse hinge portion a distance less than the axial lengthof said hub, whereby said securing means prevents removal of said hub from said aperture.

l t =F 

1. A lighting fixture comprising, in combination, an optical housing adapted to contain lamp means, mounting means adjacent said housing for mounting the same on a support, connecting means hingedly connecting said optical housing to said mounting means for angular adjustment of said optical housing relative to said mounting means, said connecting means comprising an arm member secured at one end to said optical housing and having a T-shaped portion at its other end comprising a shank portion and a transverse hinge portion, said mounting means adjacent said arm member having wall portions defining a T-shaped recess for receiving said T-shaped arm portion, and adjustable means on said mounting means engageable with said arm member for holding said arm member and thereby said optical housing at an adjusted angular position relative to said mounting means, said mounting means being formed in said recess with cradle means for receiving said transverse hinge portion, one of said wall portions of said mounting means having an aperture co-axial with the longitudinal axis of said transverse hinge portion, said transverse hinge portion having a hub at one end rotatably received in said aperture, said shank portion of said arm member being restrained against substantial lateral movement by a pair of said wall portions on opposite sides thereof when lying in said recess, whereby said transverse hinge portion is held in said cradle means with said hub engaging said apertured wall portion until said arm member is rotated sufficiently for said shank portion to clear said restraining pair of wall portions.
 2. A fixture as defined in claim 1, said arm member having an internal passage opening at opposite ends into said optical housIng and said mounting means respectively for receiving electrical conductors extending therethrough.
 3. A fixture as defined in claim 2, said adjustable means comprising a clamp releasably engaging said transverse hinge portion.
 4. A fixture as defined in claim 3, said adjustable means further including adjustable bolt means extending into said recess in engagement with said shank portion.
 5. A fixture as defined in claim 1, said mounting means comprising an enclosure having a top wall and side walls, said T-shaped recess therein being located at the junction of said top wall and the side wall thereof adjacent said optical housing.
 6. A fixture as defined in claim 5, said optical housing comprising a side wall adjacent said mounting means, said arm member secured to said optical housing side wall adjacent the top thereof, said shank portion extending upwardly at an angle relative to the latter side wall.
 7. A fixture as defined in claim 1, said cradle means comprising spaced concave seats formed in said recess wall portions, said transverse hinge portion being substantially cylindrical and resting on said spaced concave seats in rotatable engagement therewith.
 8. A fixture as defined in claim 1, said adjustable holding means comprising a clamp engaging said transverse hinge portion at the opposite end thereof and having securing means adjustably engaging said mounting means at a point spaced from said opposite end of said transverse hinge portion a distance less than the axial length of said hub, whereby said securing means prevents removal of said hub from said aperture. 